Rapid needs assessments for older adults in disasters

Because the challenge for those planning and providing disaster relief efforts is to be able to triage elders who need immediate extra assistance in an efficient and timely manner so as to minimize harm, a rapid and accurate needs assessment could provide specific region-wide information used to educate individuals as to what they need to do in response to a disaster. In this article, the authors highlight the Seniors Without Families Triage (SWiFT) tool used to screen for vulnerable elders with urgent needs in the following realms: cognitive, medical, social service, and activities of daily living.